Target.



I. L. REEVES.

TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

Witnesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA"L. REEVES, OF*SOUTH.NAT;IGK, MASSACHUSETTS.

' TARG T. I

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it lmown that- I, IRA L. REEvEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Natick, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, 'have invented certain new and useful Improvements. in T argets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to targets, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple device of this character by which an accuratecount can be obtained of the actual or true results of the firer.

The ordinary target consists generally of a plain metallic disk having a hole at the center constituting what is known as the ;fbulls eye. In shooting the failure to hit the bulls eye is in a measure an error, and "to mark the extent of such error, it is usual to have circles or ovals concentric with the bulls eye,'such circles being given a gradually decreasing value as the 'target in creases in diameter. The, said circles or ovals are formed in various ways generally by grooving whereas in a paper target which is also employed the circles or ovals are printed. In scoring, the value of a hit is determined by the annular space within which it strikes. Should, however, the mark of the bullet in its original diameter strike the line dividing two portions of different value, the hit of higher count is given, notwithstanding the fact that the contact of the bullet maybe almost imperceptible. In paper targets the mark of a bullet can be plainly seen, but in ametal target the momentumwhich the bullet has acquired causes the same when it strikes the face of the target to invariably flatten and frequently to several times its original diameter, by virtue of which it is not possible where the bullet strikes near one of the lines to determine with accuracy what count should be given the firer, this being especially the case where a bulletstrikes in a lower count and the spatter of the same crosses the line separating the same from the next higher count. In this event the firer is given the higher count whereas in reality his bullet may have struck in the area of smaller count.

Itis the fundamental and primary purpose of my invention to eliminate such conditions as these, and this I accomplish bythe provision of a target of stepped form, the steps preferably extending from front to Specification of Letters Patent. Application fileu-nmao, i911.

, PatentedApr. so, 1912. Serial No. 634,338. i Y

rear of the target and being of difierent value. The target may be of any suitable form superficially and cross sectionally and it may have any suitable or desirable number of steps. In like manner it may be formed from any'convenient material.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I have shown in detail one simple form of embodiment of the invention which to enable those skilled in the art to practice the same will be set forth fully in the following description, While the novelty of the invention will be included in the claims succeding said description. From this observation it will be evident that I do not restrict myself to such showing; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of my invention included in said 7 claims. a

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a face view of a target involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a somewhat similar view but indicatingdiagrammatically by dotted lines courses followed by bulletsunder different aims, the scale of the target in said figure being somewhat exaggerated.

Like characters refer tolike partsthroughout the several figures.

As already intimated the form of the target may vary decidedly; it is shown as being circular in elevation and as having its rear concaved, although neither of these In addition to this the target has steps,'

three of which are shown and are denoted respectively commencing with the innermost one by 6, 7 and 8. As already stated the number of steps is immaterial. The value to be given the bulls eye 5 and the steps or portions 6, 7 and 8 is arbitrary or may differ. It is usual to count the bulls eye 5, the portion 6 as 4, the portion 7 as 3, and the portion 8 as 2. These steps, as will be evident, extend from front to rear of the target, and their front faces are'in the present case the effective areas thereof, being preferably perpendicular to the axis of the barrel of the fire-arm when said barrel is held in true aiming position. The lateral portions of the said steps may be at any suitable angle, although I prefer for a reason that will hereinafter appear to make the target.

the lateral portions of progressively increasing pitch from front to rear of the target. That is to say, the lateral portion of the front step 6 is of the least pitch, while the rear step 8 has the maximum step which construction as I stated, is preferable, although not essential, the invention residing broadly in a stepped target, no matter what the particular construction of the steps thereof 1 may' be.

It will be readily understood that should a shot strike on the dividing line between the steps 6 and 7 which dividing line would be the base of the portion 6, there would be no spatterof the bullet which would carry itself onto the front faceof the step '6. Should the bullet, however, traverse the lateral portion of the step 6, this would leave on said step a mark which could be plainly seen at ordinary gallery distances or at greater ranges by means of binoculars or their equivalents, but in this event the count would be 4. It will, therefore, be seen that I insureabsolute accuracy in making counts. As I have already intimated, it is conceivable that the lateral portions of the steps could be parallel with the axis of the target,

but I prefer that they be at angles to said target, which as will be inferred from what I have already disclosed progressively increases. The side portion of the step 6 is quite acute to said axis, and while the side portion of the step 7 is also acute to said axis, it is not so acute as the side portion of the step 6, and owing to this particular relation I can secure the utmost precision. I prefer that the pitches of the side portions of the several steps coincide with the angles of flight of the bullets toward the outer steps as I have indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The angle of the lateral portion of the step 6, as will be seen coincides practically or substantially with that followed by the bullet or other missile toward the perpendicular surface of the step 7, while the angle of the lateral portion of the step 7 corresponds to theangle of the bullet in its movement toward the step 8, the angle of the side portion of the step 8 being the maximum angle of flight of a bullet which would strike anywhere inside Let us assume that the side portions of the steps are parallel with the axis ofthe target and that a bullet is approaching a point very near the base line of the base or dividing line between two steps. In this event the bullet would strike the sharp angle of the outer step and would be shaved thereby striking the next succeeding higher step. This would, therefore improperly count the firer for the higher score. By having the side portions of the steps at approximately the angles indicated, this possibility is avoided.

- My target is preferably infrangible, by reason of which when struck by a bullet or other missile it will not be fractured or broken; it may be formed by casting or molding either from metal or from some plastic material.

hat I claim is:

v 1. An infrangible target comprising a plurality of steps of progressively increasing size from front to rear thereof, the lateral portion of at least one front step being connected with the step at the rearof it.

2. A target comprising a plurality of steps of progressively increasing size from front to rear thereof, the lateral portion of each front step being connected with the step at the rear of it, and the lateral portion of the rearmost step merging into the back of the target, said lateral portions being of progressively increasing angles.

3. A target having a central hole comprising a bulls eye and also having a plurality of steps of progressively increasing size from front to rear thereof, the lateral portion of at least one step being connected front step being connected with the step at.

the rear of it, the lateral portion of each front step being connected withthe step at the rear of it and the lateral portion of the rearmost step merging into the back of the target, said lateral portionsbeing of progressively increasing angles.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' IRA L. REEVES.

Vitnesses:

G. A. Dowsn, Emvns'r T. PELTON. 

